Injured in an accident caused by a speeding driver in San Bernardino, CA? Our skilled speeding accident attorneys in San Bernardino can help you recover maximum compensation for your injuries.
Speeding violations contribute to more fatal crashes in San Bernardino County than almost any other driving behavior. When vehicles collide at high speeds, the physics of impact can multiply forces exponentially, transforming what might have been a minor fender-bender into a catastrophic event with life-altering consequences.
Beyond the immediate physical trauma, you face a complex battle with insurance companies that understand the substantial damages these high-speed collisions generate. They know that speeding accidents often result in traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, and extensive rehabilitation needs that can cost millions over a lifetime.
Their adjusters work immediately to minimize your claim, challenge the speed evidence, and shift blame wherever possible.
At Krasney Law Accident Attorneys, we handle speeding accident cases throughout San Bernardino County. Our San Bernardino speeding accident lawyers understand the technical requirements of proving excessive speed through EDR data, accident reconstruction, and witness testimony.
We work directly with you to build your case while you focus on recovery, ensuring your claim receives the focused attention it demands rather than becoming just another file number. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
Why Hire a San Bernardino Speeding Accident Lawyer?
Speeding accidents require specialized legal expertise because proving excessive speed demands technical evidence and accident reconstruction analysis. These crashes often result in catastrophic injuries that generate substantial medical bills and long-term care needs.
Insurance companies aggressively contest speeding claims because they know there is a risk of high compensation awards and want to pay as little as possible. They employ tactics like questioning your injuries, disputing the driver’s speed, or arguing that road conditions contributed to the crash.
At Krasney Law Accident Attorneys, we have decades of experience handling complex speeding cases throughout San Bernardino County. Our team works directly with you, ensuring your case receives focused attention rather than getting lost in a large firm’s caseload.
What Counts as Speeding Under California Law?
California Vehicle Code Section 22350, known as the Basic Speed Law, defines speeding more broadly than just exceeding the posted speed limit. This law requires drivers to operate at speeds that are reasonable and safe for current conditions.
A driver violates this law when they drive too fast for the weather, traffic, or road conditions, even if traveling below the speed limit. Rain, fog, construction zones, and heavy traffic all create situations where the posted limit becomes unsafe.
Common speeding violations include:
- Exceeding posted limits: Driving faster than the signs indicate on highways or city streets.
- Unsafe speed for conditions: Traveling too fast during rain, fog, or heavy traffic.
- Exhibition of speed: Street racing or showing off with dangerous acceleration.
- Reckless driving: Combining excessive speed with other dangerous behaviors.
Who Can Be Held Liable in Speeding Accidents?
The speeding driver bears primary responsibility, but other parties may share fault depending on the circumstances. Our San Bernardino speeding accident attorneys’ investigation identifies all potential sources of compensation to maximize your recovery.
Driver’s employer:
Companies are liable when employees cause accidents while working, including delivery drivers, truckers, and sales representatives operating company vehicles.
Government entities:
Cities or counties may bear partial responsibility if dangerous road design, missing signs, or poor maintenance contributed to the crash.
Vehicle manufacturers:
Defective brakes, steering systems, or other safety equipment can prevent drivers from controlling their speed safely.
What Evidence Proves Excessive Speed?
Building a strong speeding case requires immediate action to preserve time-sensitive evidence. Critical data can disappear within days or weeks if not properly secured.
Preserve Electronic Data Immediately
Modern vehicles contain Event Data Recorders that capture speed, braking, and steering inputs in the seconds before impact. We send legal preservation notices within hours to prevent this data from being erased or overwritten.
Commercial vehicles often have additional telematics systems that track speed, location, and driver behavior. These systems provide detailed records that can prove violations of speed limits or company safety policies.
Secure Video and Witness Evidence
Traffic cameras, business surveillance systems, and dashcams frequently capture speeding violations. We work quickly to identify and obtain this footage before it’s automatically deleted.
Witness statements provide crucial testimony about the driver’s speed and behavior before the crash. We interview witnesses while their memories remain fresh and accurate.
Document Physical Evidence
Accident reconstruction experts analyze skid marks, debris patterns, and vehicle damage to calculate impact speeds. The length and characteristics of skid marks reveal how fast vehicles were traveling when braking began.
Vehicle damage patterns also indicate collision forces, which correlate directly with pre-impact speeds. Severe damage typically results from high-speed impacts.
Compensation Available in Speeding Accident Cases
Speeding crashes generate tremendous forces that cause severe injuries requiring extensive medical treatment. Victims often face months or years of recovery, creating substantial financial hardships.
Your compensation covers all accident-related losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Speeding cases often result in higher awards because of the reckless nature of the driver’s conduct.
Medical expenses: Emergency treatment, surgeries, rehabilitation, medications, and future medical needs are fully covered.
Lost income: We calculate both immediate lost wages and reduced future earning capacity if injuries prevent you from returning to your previous work.
Pain and suffering: Physical pain, emotional trauma, and reduced quality of life deserve significant compensation, especially in violent high-speed crashes.
Property damage: Vehicle repairs or replacement, plus any personal items damaged in the crash.
How Negligence Per Se Applies to Speeding Cases
California law recognizes negligence per se when drivers violate traffic safety laws. This legal principle makes proving fault much easier in speeding accident cases.
When a driver receives a speeding citation for the crash, courts often presume they acted negligently, simplifying the process of determining fault. This shifts the burden to the defendant to explain why their speed violation didn’t cause the accident.
Even without a citation, our San Bernardino speeding accident lawyers can still prove negligence by demonstrating that the driver exceeded safe speeds for the conditions. Traffic laws exist specifically to prevent the type of harm you suffered.
Punitive Damages for Extreme Speeding
California allows punitive damages when defendants act with conscious disregard for others’ safety. These awards punish particularly reckless behavior and deter similar future conduct.
Extreme speeding often qualifies for punitive damages, especially when combined with other dangerous behaviors. Street racing, driving over 100 mph, or speeding while intoxicated demonstrates the callous disregard that justifies punishment.
Punitive awards can significantly increase your total compensation beyond covering actual losses. They send a strong message that reckless speeding will face serious consequences.
Steps to Take After a Speeding Accident
Your actions immediately following the crash protect both your health and legal rights. Critical evidence begins disappearing within hours, making quick action essential.
Seek Medical Attention Immediately
Get medical care even if you feel fine initially. Some serious injuries don’t produce symptoms for hours or days after high-speed impacts. Medical records also document the connection between the crash and your injuries.
Emergency responders should evaluate everyone involved, and police reports help establish the basic facts of what happened.
Avoid Insurance Company Traps
Never give recorded statements to the other driver’s insurance company without legal representation. These companies use your words against you to deny or minimize your claim.
Avoid discussing fault, your injuries, or the other driver’s speed with insurance adjusters. Refer them to your attorney instead.
Contact Experienced Legal Help
Contact Krasney Law Accident Attorneys immediately. We begin preserving evidence and protecting your rights while you focus on recovery.
How Comparative Negligence Affects Your Case
California’s pure comparative negligence system allows recovery even when you bear partial fault for the accident. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of responsibility, but you don’t lose everything.
For example, if you’re found 40% at fault for not wearing a seatbelt, you still recover 60% of your total damages from the speeding driver. This system ensures victims receive fair compensation despite minor contributing factors.
Don’t assume you can’t pursue a claim because you think you made a mistake. Even significant comparative fault doesn’t eliminate your right to compensation.
Time Limits for Filing Your Claim
California’s statute of limitations gives you two years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, waiting too long can severely damage your case.
Critical evidence, such as EDR data and surveillance video, disappears quickly. Vehicle computers overwrite crash data within weeks, and businesses delete security footage on regular schedules.
Starting your case immediately preserves vital evidence and allows a thorough investigation while witnesses’ memories remain accurate.
Contingency Fee Representation
Krasney Law Accident Attorneys handles all personal injury cases on contingency, meaning you pay no upfront costs. We only collect fees when we successfully recover money for you through settlement or trial.
This arrangement ensures everyone can access quality legal representation regardless of financial circumstances. Your initial consultation costs nothing, and you risk no money by exploring your legal options.
We advance all case expenses, including expert witness fees and court costs, so financial concerns never prevent us from building the strongest possible case.
Common Speeding Accident Locations in San Bernardino
Our decades of experience in San Bernardino County reveal specific corridors and hazardous intersections where speeding accidents frequently occur. This local knowledge helps us investigate cases more effectively.
Interstate 215 sees numerous speeding-related crashes, especially during rush hour when frustrated commuters drive aggressively. The freeway’s design encourages high speeds that become dangerous in heavy traffic.
The Cajon Pass on Interstate 15 poses unique hazards as trucks and cars accelerate on steep downhill grades. Commercial vehicles sometimes lose control when their brakes overheat from excessive speed.
State Route 210 through Highland and San Bernardino features wide lanes that tempt drivers to exceed safe speeds. The relatively straight alignment creates a false sense of security at dangerous velocities.
Baseline Street has become notorious for illegal street racing, resulting in some of the county’s most tragic speeding fatalities involving innocent victims.
Why Choose Krasney Law Accident Attorneys
We give each client direct, individualized attention, unlike traditional firms where cases are divided among several lawyers. From the first consultation to the final resolution, you collaborate with the same skilled lawyer.
We fight for accident victims throughout California, focusing on maximizing compensation. Our approach combines aggressive advocacy with compassionate support during your recovery.
We handle all types of personal injury cases, from car accidents to wrongful death claims, with the same dedication to client service. Your case receives the focused attention it deserves, not assembly-line treatment.
Free Consultation for Speeding Accident Victims
If a speeding driver injured you, don’t delay seeking legal help. Evidence preservation is time-critical, and insurance companies begin building their defense immediately.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’re available 24/7 to discuss your case and explain your legal options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Prove Speeding Without a Police Citation?
Yes, we can prove speeding through vehicle black box data, accident reconstruction analysis, surveillance video, and witness testimony, even when police don’t issue tickets.
What if the Speeding Driver Has No Insurance?
You may still recover compensation through your own Uninsured Motorist coverage or by pursuing the driver’s personal assets if they have sufficient value.
How Long Does EDR Data Remain Available?
Vehicle crash data can be erased quickly, so sending preservation letters promptly is critical to securing this evidence.
Can You Sue for Punitive Damages in Street Racing Cases?
Yes, illegal street racing demonstrates the conscious disregard for safety that California law requires for punitive damage awards.
What if You Were Also Driving Over the Speed Limit?
California’s comparative negligence law allows you to recover damages even if you were also speeding, though your award will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Do Commercial Speeding Cases Involve Different Rules?
Yes, commercial drivers face stricter regulations, and their employers can be held liable for accidents caused by speeding employees during work hours.
How Much Compensation Can Speeding Accident Victims Receive?
Settlement amounts depend on injury severity, medical costs, lost income, and other factors, but speeding cases often result in higher awards due to the reckless nature of the conduct.
